Help with Council House & Kitchen 'Improvements

alternageek

Hi looking for some advise and hoping this is the right forum for it (it's a bit wordy, so apologies in advance).

My MIL moved into a council house in Sheffield about 3½ years ago. When she took a look at the home, she saw what the previous tenants had done (new fitted kitchen, door accessing a utility room and bathroom with spotlights and shower) and chose the house based on this. The council, prior to her moving in, gutted the place and removed all the improvements made by the previous tenants. My MIL was left with a home that had been stripped of paint, wallpaper, carpeting, and lighting fixtures. They also replaced the new kitchen and replaced it with mismatched cabinets - whose hinges were falling off - and odd pieces of work top. The upper bedrooms didn't even have central heating (which took two years to get put in, besides the fact there was a child under the age of 6 living there) Should also mention, the gas meter for the home is located in a dark back corner of the kitchen thats unreachable due to a cooker being in the way.

They promised her, as the house had been brought back to it original state, that she would receive a new kitchen and boiler within 12 months of move in date, as what was made available to her were not in a good state.

They updated the boiler last summer and radiators were installed in the 2nd floor bedrooms, but that's not without her complaining that they were needed. They also said if she wanted to move the gas meter (that the council had installed years before she moved in) that she would have to pay for it herself - which she couldn't. So now it stays there.

At the same time as the boiled was fixed, repair men came (with only a few days notice) and advised they were installing a TEMPORARY used (but slightly better than what was already there) kitchen. As it was temporary she was unable to pick cabinets, colours or where they should go. She didnt complain, because they advised due to budget cuts, her new kitchen was being pushed back another two years. She could wait that long.

Recently, she received a letter stating as they had put in a new - but slightly used - kitchen that she was unable to get a new kitchen when funding would be available. She wrote back and complained.

A repairs officer came to the home about 2 weeks ago and said the kitchen is in a good state (despite the sink leaking and three cabinets hinges have broken and unable to be repaired) so the letter she received was right. She then complained about this visit and they sent another officer around, who visited the home last week. This officer discovered that her cooker was illegal (its in a back corner, with no counters surrounding it - though this is where the council had installed the gas and electric ports for a cooker) and they would see what they could do.

Yesterday afternoon, she received a phone call stating they were coming on MONDAY to move the cooker and to install a side board to make her cooker legal. Where the council wants the cooker moved to is where her small kitchen table sits. If they put the cooker there, the family will now have no where proper to eat meals together and they'll have to eat in the living room. She also lacks space to store the table. If they were to do a re-model, everything would fit where it should (legally) be, but as the Council is leaving the kitchen as is - it won't.

MIL is upset because she thinks she being bullied into having the repair men come to hers on Monday because she complained that she was being fobbed off about a promise that was made prior to moving in. She's upset, because she only chose this house because they promised a new kitchen to be installed, and they haven't kept their side of the deal. They keep sticking plasters over a gaping wound, which clearly isn't working.

Do we have a leg to stand on if we complain? Does she have to let the repair men in on Monday or can she refuse? When we contact the council, how is best to send in her complaint - by post or in person with written documentation?

Thanks to everyone, in advance.

shelley_crow

It will be in her tenancy agreement that she has to allow access for essential repairs and maintenence, so she should let them in.

Not sure what to suggest on the kitchen front. We are with a housing association and the kitchen was installed in the late 80s, it's a right state but is not scheduled to be looked at until 2020, when hopefully we will have moved. The thing about social housing is that if she has got a roof over her head and the house is safe, it doesn't have to be pretty. She willl be able to replace the kitchen herself if it bothers her, with the permission of the council.

Eating from a table, though pleasant, is not a necessity, so this won't be taken into consideration. She could get a small folding table to use in the living room, as I have to.

I'm sorry to say but I can't see a complaint going anywhere, their money goes on essential repairs for safety and maintenance to improve properties comes in second fiddle, as it should.

Errata

The counicil's money does indeed go on essential repairs, but many councils have been given a (European?) grant to bring homes up to modern standards - usually brand new kitchen, bathroom, CH with a combi boiler, renew electrics, DG, loft and wall insulation. This grant is ring fenced and can't be used by the council for repairs.
AFAIR Sheffild obtained this grant, but of course there's always a waiting list as improvements are done in phases and areas.
One solution to the MIL's problem would be to seek permission from the council to improve/modernise/update the kitchen themselves, which is what many council and HA tenants do.

phill99

It may be worth your while speaking to your Local Councillor. You will be surprised how much influence they have over paid officers of the council.

alternageek

shelley_crow wrote: »

It will be in her tenancy agreement that she has to allow access for essential repairs and maintenence, so she should let them in.

Not sure what to suggest on the kitchen front. We are with a housing association and the kitchen was installed in the late 80s, it's a right state but is not scheduled to be looked at until 2020, when hopefully we will have moved. The thing about social housing is that if she has got a roof over her head and the house is safe, it doesn't have to be pretty. She willl be able to replace the kitchen herself if it bothers her, with the permission of the council.

Eating from a table, though pleasant, is not a necessity, so this won't be taken into consideration. She could get a small folding table to use in the living room, as I have to.

I'm sorry to say but I can't see a complaint going anywhere, their money goes on essential repairs for safety and maintenance to improve properties comes in second fiddle, as it should.

Thanks for your quick response.

Understandable.

I think she's upset because the kitchen that was installed by previous tenants was in good working order and they ripped it out (at the same time they ripped out some old copper piping in the kitchen leaving holes in interior and exterior walls, so she now has mice in her floor boards) We cant understand why they would show the home with it, then to rip it out before she moved in? Even if it was done without council premission, surely having a inspector checking the work, and approving it, is cheaper than having someone come in to gut it out.

phill99 wrote: »

It may be worth your while speaking to your Local Councillor. You will be surprised how much influence they have over paid officers of the council.

Will try this as well.

Errata wrote: »

The counicil's money does indeed go on essential repairs, but many councils have been given a (European?) grant to bring homes up to modern standards - usually brand new kitchen, bathroom, CH with a combi boiler, renew electrics, DG, loft and wall insulation. This grant is ring fenced and can't be used by the council for repairs.
AFAIR Sheffild obtained this grant, but of course there's always a waiting list as improvements are done in phases and areas.
One solution to the MIL's problem would be to seek permission from the council to improve/modernise/update the kitchen themselves, which is what many council and HA tenants do.

I think this is where her kitchen upgrade was granted (they've recently told her she's getting a proper shower in two years estimated time) from.

She's annoyed as other people on the estate have all had their kitchens upgraded to a very good state (spotlights, matching worktops, cupboards and getting to chose what went in) and she's not getting the same treatment. It's like she was last on the list and they're giving her the leftovers because they've run out. :mad:

shelley_crow

My house had brand new carpet, laid only a week before the previous tenants left. That was ripped up too. I was told by a workman that soft furnishing are ripped out due to the risk of needles/other contamination.

There's no excuse for leaving gaping holes in the walls, this should have been rectified before your relative was able to move in.

I do sympathise with her, we have had a lot of the same problems regarding kitchen/renovations and have got nowhere, they aren't interested.

ETA: my HA did have agrant to put PVC back doors in to all properties. Needless to say they had run out of money by the time they got around to mine, so I will hopefully be next on the list for replacing my drafty wooden door. This doesn't stop the HA spending thousands of pounds on flowers for the OAP bungalows they manage too.

Errata

She's annoyed as other people on the estate have all had their kitchens upgraded to a very good state (spotlights, matching worktops, cupboards and getting to chose what went in) and she's not getting the same treatment. It's like she was last on the list and they're giving her the leftovers because they've run out. :mad:

It may be that the previous tenants refused to have a new kitchen when the others were being done. They probably are putting in the 'leftovers' as the new kitchen stuff wouldn't have been on the mass order for the estate.
If mice are getting in through the holes - fill 'em up !

alternageek

Errata wrote: »

It may be that the previous tenants refused to have a new kitchen when the others were being done. They probably are putting in the 'leftovers' as the new kitchen stuff wouldn't have been on the mass order for the estate.
If mice are getting in through the holes - fill 'em up !

We have filled them in, but they still keep getting through. Limited money on our side and even so on hers, makes it hard to get it fixed properly. The council made the holes, they should have repaired them

I think its just hard, as shes been in a house that had rats and the private landlords did nothing. I think we're both fearing they'll come back and MIL will experience the same things again.

(I feel like a whinger, and we're really not...)

ormus

my MILs council house (1950s concrete style) has just been upgraded. new roof. new wall insulation, new electrics, new kitchen etc etc...
they did the whole estate. (mostly semis).
one of the site managers told me that each house costs an average of 42k!!!

Norman_Castle

ETA: my HA did have agrant to put PVC back doors in to all properties.

ETA ? , Are you refering to the basque separatist group or the estimated time of arrival ?

shelley_crow

Norman_Castle wrote: »

ETA ? , Are you refering to the basque separatist group or the estimated time of arrival ?

Hmm, well as neither would fit in the context of the post, one would guess neither. It's the commonly used interent abbreviation of Edited To Add